The Transfer Student
by Agent Dragicorn
Summary: [HIATUS] [NozoEri] Changing schools in the middle of the school year was never easy. Changing to a different country was even harder. However, Ayase Eri knows she has to do this to save her family's alma mater. Even if it means going to greater lengths.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note**

**Hello! This is my first ever fanfiction so I hope it doesn't end up disappointing too much :S Well that being said, I hope you (if there even is anyone who will read this) enjoy this series (if I manage to continue it).**

**This stemmed out of my love for NozoEri (which really needs more fics) and from certain other movies and story plots I've seen before. Hopefully it works out well!**

* * *

"Sorry, Erichika, but this was the only way," her mother apologised once again.

Eri sighed and assured her it was fine once again. After all, it really was the only way. Transferring in the middle of the school year would not be pleasant and furthermore, it was to a different country. Even if she was fluent in Japanese since her father had always spoken to them in Japanese, the culture was different. It would take some time for Eri and Arisa to get used to the new country. Despite how tough it would be being in a completely new environment, Eri knew she had to do this.

_For the sake of Grandma's and Mom's alma mater,_ she reminded herself.

She was supposed to have enrolled in Otonikizaka High School in her first year with everyone else, but because Arisa wasn't ready to leave Russia, she stayed with her and continued schooling there. Initially, she thought that she wouldn't be able to be a student in Otonokizaka High School and despite being disappointed by that thought, she comforted herself through the fact that Arisa would probably go there and be the third generation of their family to be in that school. Now that she was going to go there, she didn't know whether to be happy or sad.

* * *

Eri stared at her uniform and let out a sigh again. Was she really going to do this? She supposed it was too late to turn back as the forms were all filled out, but that didn't stop her from wondering if she could just catch the next flight back to Russia and continue with her previous life.

"Onee-chan, are you done? It's been 10 minutes!" She heard Arisa's impatient shout from the other side of the bathroom door.

"Ah, coming!" Hurrying her movements, Eri put on the uniform and looked in the mirror.

_Well, it does kind of suit me._

Opening the bathroom door, she prepared herself for her mother's and sister's comments.

"Whoa, you look amazing! It really suits you!"

Blushing slightly, she asked, "Do I really look okay?"

Receiving appraising and approving nods from the two other females, Eri relaxed slightly. She glanced at her reflection in the full body mirror in her room.

_Maybe this won't be too bad._

* * *

"This one is pretty nice. What do you think?" Arisa asked as she held up a flashy neon tee with the image of a heavy metal band on the front.

"No way. Besides, I'm pretty sure that's not the current fashion in Japan."

Despite saying that, Eri wasn't really sure what exactly the "current fashion in Japan" was herself. However, she decided to just get whatever she preferred instead of following the trend. Being a follower had never been her style anyway. As the two sisters browsed through the shop for new clothes, they didn't notice the stares they were getting from everyone else there.

"Excuse me, would you like some help? I can take you to the section with our latest collection," a young salesgirl approached Eri with a hopeful glint in her eyes.

Since she hadn't found anything that caught her eye yet, she decided to go along with the salesgirl. The salesgirl started rambling on about how certain clothes were part of the latest trend in Japan and started picking out clothes that she felt would suit Eri well. Giving her a polite smile, Eri went to the dressing room and tried out the numerous articles of clothing. The salesgirl gushed over each of her appearances with Arisa giving her appraisal and soon, Eri found herself at the cashier's with a bunch of new clothes.

"Just for you, I'll give you a 20% discount," the salesgirl winked and calculated the total sum.

Giving her a grateful smile, Eri paid the sum and left the shop with her sister.

"People in Japan really are nice, huh Arisa?"

"That's only because she was so into you! I should really shop with you more often, we could save a lot this way."

Eri blushed and looked at her incredulously. There was no way the salesgirl was infatuated over her.

"I can't believe you didn't notice it. At least we know you're going to fit in perfectly in Otonokizaka High."

* * *

They finally reached the top of the stairs and even with her ballet background, Eri was winded. However, looking ahead at the huge shrine, she had no regrets. The sight before her was beautiful and she could feel the rich culture oozing out from it.

"Harasho..."

"Come on, we need to pray for a smooth time in school!" Arisa exclaimed excitedly.

Eri watched as Arisa sped off towards the prayer area, only to realise that she had no idea where it was.

_Just like her to get too excited, _Eri mused.

"Need some help finding your way around?" A voice interrupted her thoughts.

Eri turned and saw one of the most gorgeous people she had ever seen in her life. Her purple hair was glistening in the orange evening light and her lush green eyes sparkled like emeralds. The shrine maiden outfit fit her extremely well and Eri felt drawn to her.

"Yes please! May we know where we can make our prayers?" Arisa politely asked.

"Sure, just follow me."

The shrine maiden led the two of them and Eri felt her eyes wandering over her back view. The maiden was definitely easy on the eyes and Eri couldn't help but feel intrigued by her, especially the way her bright green eyes seemed to have something more inside and how her smile didn't seem to reach her eyes.

"Are the two of you foreigners?" The melodic voice snapped her out of her reverie.

"Ah, yes. We just moved here a few days ago."

"I see. Well, here's where you can make your prayers. I wish you all the best in Japan then," the girl gave them a pleasant smile (which still didn't reach her eyes) and left.

A part of Eri felt disappointed in not getting to observe her for a while more but averted her attention back to her sister who was gushing over the architecture and culture screaming from the place. As they made their prayers for a smooth time in their new schools, Eri found herself making an extra wish.

_Please let me see her again._

* * *

Eri stared at the dark blue and blue checkers once more and steeled herself for the day ahead.

_I can do this._

She slipped on her blazer and headed down for breakfast.

"My, Erichika, you look amazing. As expected, the uniform really fits you very well," her mother praised with a proud look in her eyes.

Smiling thankfully, Eri sat down and ate her breakfast, thoughts wandering off to her day ahead. Whenever she doubted herself, she reminded herself of the fact that she was attending school at her grandma's and mother's alma mater. She was doing this for their sake. These thoughts drove her forward and she was filled with determination to make it a great school year.

* * *

Her walk to school was filled with so many glances and stares that even she noticed them. Sure, she had expected some attention since she definitely did not look like a local but this was more than she had expected. Students sharing her new school crest all stared at her and whispered amongst themselves. Slightly uncomfortable from the attention, Eri sped up but kept her head high and determined.

_Just play it cool, _she chanted repeatedly in her head.

* * *

Eri waited outside the classroom for Sensei's signal, observing the students walking about the halls that were all staring at her. Needless to say, she was a common topic amongst everyone that morning and her nerves were starting to build up. Luckily, she caught Sensei's words that brought her head back into the game.

"Alright, let's give a warm welcome our to transfer student!"

Eri walked in with her signature stoic expression and determined strides. She took a breath to calm her nerves and introduced herself.

"Nice to meet you, everyone. I'm Ayase Eriot from Russia."

* * *

**A/N**

**In case y'all didn't catch on, Eriot = Elliot. Hopefully you can guess what's going on? ^^**

**Also, some comments and reviews would be appreciated! Really wanna know how I can improve and all since I honestly feel as though I've made a HUUUUGE list of mistakes.**

**Finally, thank you so much for taking the time to read this!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note**

**For those that read the first chapter, slight edit: Eri is transferring in as a 2nd year, so Maki and the rest aren't in the school yet. That being said, this fic isn't Muse-centric (for now maybe?) Idk what characters may appear, haven't really planned on any others as of now.**

**Apologies if this chapter is of a lower quality than the previous one :S It seems kinda unrealistic to me which I deeply apologise for. Just couldn't think of anything else. It's super dialogue-heavy too so basically I'm so sorry for the bad chapter T_T I promise there'll be more NozoEri in the next though! (Whenever it gets uploaded whoops)**

**Also, thank you so much to everyone that has read this! Please enjoy the 2nd chapter!**

**I Hate To See Your Heart Break****: Thank you for your review! Yup, edited it because it really was too far-fetched :P I'd love to have a Beta Reader, I'll PM you later (so sorry if I send it really late though :S)**

* * *

_1 month ago_

_"Otonokizaka is at risk of closing, huh..." Eri wondered aloud. "Isn't there a way to stop it? I know how much that school means you Grandma and you."_

_"Apparently there's nothing much that the Chairwoman can do. Most of the board of directors and the Student Council has given up as the intake rate is too low. This would be their last batch of students before closing down."_

_Eri frowned at that information. How could everyone give up so easily? Shouldn't they be trying their best to save the school? Most of the students there wouldn't be able to get a complete high school experience. _

_"If I were in the Student Council, I'd make sure that none of them give up so easily. Are they really just going to let the school close down?"_

_Her mother smiled wistfully. "I guess so. Oh well, all good things must come to an end." That being said, she left the room._

* * *

_Eri's mother dusted the cover and the elegant print shone brightly under the light. With a nostalgic smile, she flipped through the pages of her old high school yearbook, thinking back to her wonderful times. It was where she had met some of her closest friends and even though she was not in Japan with them, they still frequently kept in touch. _

_The sound of her ringtone brought her out of her reverie. She glanced down at it and realised it was one of her best friends that was also from Otonokizaka. _

_"Hello?"_

_"Irina, have you heard the news?"_

_"Of course. It's really happening... huh?"_

_"All those memories we've made won't have a place to be associated with soon. Do you remember our last school festival?"_

_Eri's mother gave a hearty laugh as she recalled that event. It turned out to be a huge success under their charge as the Student Council President and Vice-President. As she reminisced more with her old friend, it became apparent that having the school close down would be losing an important part of her life._

_Unbeknownst to her, Eri heard everything._

* * *

_"...And with that, the Student Council would like to announce that there will be a Culture Appreciation Week next week. More details on the events being held during that week will be posted on the students' notice board." Eri finished the announcements and returned to her seat._

_The booming applause did not go unnoticed to her and Eri felt a sense of accomplishment for being able to make so many people's school life that bit better. _

_"Great job coming up with the Culture Appreciation Week, Eri. Ever since you took over as the President of the Student Council, there has been a lot of positive feedback and everyone is really happier," her discipline teacher commended._

_Eri gave a polite smile and thanked him. If only she could help the Student Council in Otonikizaka, maybe they wouldn't give up so easily. She wasn't trying to be all high and mighty but she knew that if she were there, she would have tried to convince them to try harder._

_Then, an idea popped into her mind._

* * *

_"Hey, Arisa. What do you think of me going to Otonokizaka after summer holiday is over in Japan?"_

_"Ehh! That's quite sudden... Is it because you want to help keep the school going?"_

_Eri nodded._

_"Well unless there's a clear way that you can help out somehow, I don't think it'd be good to be so rash. Unless there's something else?"_

_Eri hesitated. Arisa was always so clueless and acted without a care in the world that she forgot how perceptive her younger sister could be. _

_"You've always wanted to study in Otonokizaka, right? That's another reason why you're so determined to save the school," Arisa deduced with a knowing smile. "Maybe we can check the admissions and talk to Mom about it then?"_

_Eri gave her sister a grateful smile for figuring it out on her own so she didn't have to say it all out. _

_"Sure. Thanks, Arisa."_

* * *

_"Of course. All students are welcome here as long as you pass our entrance exam. I can send you the list of necessary documents but you would have to take the test in Japan."_

_"Sure. Can I get back to you as to whether I will be taking the test?"_

_"Of course. Thank you for considering," Principal Minami smiled._

_Eri had decided to contact the school to check if it was even an option in the first place. Of course, Arisa's words still stuck in her mind and before she could stop herself, she found herself asking what they had tried so far to stop the closure of the school._

_"We've considered renovations and additions of clubs but we simply don't have the funds. It's just too late to start. Our last idea was actually to convert to a mixed gender school, but we needed a test student first and no one has applied."_

_"I see. Sorry for asking so abruptly and thank you for your time." With that, Eri hung up._

_As she pondered over other possible solutions, she didn't notice Arisa's eyes slowly gaining that mischievous glint._

* * *

_"Come on, I think it's a great idea! We needed a concrete idea and here we have it! Being a mixed gender school would double the admissions since it's not just one gender any more. It would help!"_

_"I don't think you're seeing the biggest flaw in this, Arisa: I'm a girl!"_

_From the small smirk on her face, Eri knew the next words that would come out from her sister's mouth would not be pleasant._

_"You could always pretend to not be one."_

_Yup, she had guessed correctly._

_"In the first place, I don't think the school would allow that. I'm pretty sure Mom wouldn't too!"_

_"Did you two mention me?" Their mother asked as she walked into Eri's room._

_"Mom! Apparently there is a way to save Otonokizaka!" Arisa exclaimed excitedly and being the scheming little deviant she was, she intentionally hooked their mother with that piece of information first._

_"Oh really? How?"_

_"All Onee-chan has to do is be an Onii-chan!"_

_Sensing the befuddlement from their mother, Eri clarified things._

_"Otonokizaka High is trying to convert to a mixed gender school, but first they need feedback from a few male students. There were no applications this year so they decided to scrap the idea. However, they're still open to transfer students..." Eri faltered as she saw the knowing look on her mother's face, mixed with the same smirk Arisa had._

_"I don't think it's that bad an idea. It may be quite fun."_

I swear, they just like seeing me in awkward situations,_ Eri thought._

_"I'm pretty sure the school wouldn't allow it anyway," she defended._

_"Why not? They just need a test student to see how the other students react, right? If that's so then as long as the students think of you as a male then it should be fine, right?" Their mother reasoned._

_"Let's ask Principal Minami! If she allows it then there's no reason for you not to try, right Onee-chan?"_

_Eri sighed. _

_"I suppose so."_

* * *

_"Well, I'm not averse to it. In fact, if you would be willing to do this, it would be great. I have to check with the board first but it should be fine," Principal Minami replied cheerfully._

_"Great, thank you! We'll be awaiting your reply," their mother ended the call. "No backing out now, Erichika."_

_Eri started praying that somehow, another solution would appear._

* * *

_"It's been approved, so all you have to do now is pass the entrance exam and you'll be our latest and only 'male' student," Principal Minami was evidently relieved._

_Once the call ended, Eri began to protest but was cut off by Arisa the moment she opened her mouth._

_"No going back on your word Onee-chan! Besides, there's finally a concrete method. Don't you want to try? This way, you can attend the school too."_

_She supposed it made sense._

* * *

Present

Eri watched as her (or rather, his) classmates' excitement grew. Sensei explained the situation to them which was mainly true apart from the omission of her true gender. As she stood there, her eyes roamed around the classroom and spotted a familiar face.

_My prayer was answered,_ Eri thought with surprise as behind an empty desk (which she assumed was hers) was the shrine maiden, looking out the window instead. She was the only one not fangirling over Eri and that intrigued her.

"Alright, please take your seat over there, in front of Toujou-san," Sensei instructed.

_Toujou-san, huh... Wonder what her name is._

Toujou-san gave Eri a polite smile as she got to her seat, which Eri returned slightly.

_As interested as I am in this girl, I need to remember to keep my distance. I just need to play my part for now and figure out other solutions. Getting too close to anyone may be dangerous._

* * *

_So he's here as a test to see whether a mixed gender school is a good idea, huh... Well he's going to be incredibly popular amongst everyone else. Must be nice to be able to befriend others so easily, _Nozomi thought wistfully.

She didn't dislike Eriot, she didn't know enough about him to form an impression yet. All she knew was that she was slightly jealous of how he would probably have an enjoyable life after transferring as he was a special student after all.

_Oh well. I wonder what I should have for lunch later on._

* * *

**A/N**

**Once again, sorry if this chapter didn't meet your standards T_T May we all just ignore the fact that there's no way such a situation would be allowed for a reason like this? :P**

**Anyway, in my headcanon, Arisa actually knows her sister really well and pushes her to pursue what she wants in her own subtle way. Hence why she appears so much for this. Even though Eri's the older child and usually quite serious and all, she gets teased the most in her family because she gets embarrassed so easily. That's what family is for, right? ^^ **


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note**

**So sorry for the slow updates! This'll probably be my pace from now on or something x.x School really is picking up and all. Hope you enjoy the latest chapter though! (Please take this as my apology -bows-)**

**Also, shoutout to my new beta: I Hate To See Your Heart Break!**

* * *

Eri completed the Math assignment with ease. She was surprisingly as ahead of the syllabus as in Russia.

_At least I don't have to worry about my studies too. Although, Japanese may be a problem..._

"Whoa, you're already done, Ayase-san? That's amazing!" A classmate beside her exclaimed in surprise.

"It's not that difficult."

"Could you help me with this question, then? I don't understand how to do it at all!" She put her assignment on Eri's table and scooted over.

"Just use the Method of Difference, you'll get it soon. There are examples provided in the textbook."

"Ehhh, I still don't get it. Could you show me?" She leaned a little closer and gave a pout.

"No, you need to do it on your own to learn," Eri replied firmly, always the firm believer that spoon feeding would get one nowhere.

"O-okay," with that, her classmate returned to her seat.

_Now, maybe I should study a bit of Japanese, _Eri pondered, oblivious to the whisperings of her classmates after watching that scene unfold.

_Wow, he's either really dense to not have noticed that blatant flirting, or simply not interested, _Nozomi mused.

* * *

"Ayase-san, do you want to go to the cafeteria?" One of her classmates invited.

"It's fine, I brought food," Eri replied, taking out her bento box.

As she did so, her classmates gathered around her, curious as to what a foreigner's bento box may contain. They were not disappointed at all.

"This is so cute!"

"Is that pancake?"

"This bread looks really interesting!"

"Is this all Russian food?"

Questions were rained upon her and she just waited for them to stop, deciding to just answer the last question.

" Yes, they're all Russian dishes made with Japanese ingredients."

"Can we have some?" The Math question classmate asked with a hopeful look on her face that was soon matched by everyone around her.

"It's nothing special. If you want to try, you can have some," Eri decided on being nice. It was always good to be polite and she figured that most people have probably never tried Russian cuisine before.

As the words left her mouth, a bunch of hands appeared and took bits of her food. When the massacre of her food was over, she noted that she was only left with half of her food.

"Ah, sorry, Ayase-san. You can have some of our food?"

"It's okay. Please try to leave more for others in future though," Eri chided lightly.

Missing the slightly shocked expressions on their faces, Eri tucked into her food. The girls slowly filed away as they didn't know how to respond to that. None of them had expected such an awkward response from him (her).

Not even Nozomi, who was getting more interested in this new student after each incident.

* * *

It was Friday, the last day of her first week of school. Apart from the fact that she was posing as a guy, school was pretty normal. Student Council Elections were coming soon and Eri definitely going to take part in them. She hadn't thought of a proper method to save the school yet but she vowed to find one soon.

She had also had a few close shaves this week. It was hard to remember to use the gents instead of the ladies all the time and there was once where she almost walked into the wrong bathroom. Luckily, no one saw her.

She had also become quite the celebrity in school, thanks to her being the only male student, a transfer student and also quarter Russian. It seemed as though everyone in school knew who she was and they were increasingly finding out more about her. The other day, she overheard someone talking about what school she had gone to in Russia. She thanked the heavens that she was from a mixed school because it could have all been over otherwise. This also led her to keep away from others even more as she never knew what more they could find out about. At this rate, it was only a matter of time before they found out about her being a girl. It was quite an arduous and difficult task though, as many of them would approach her all the time, especially her classmates. The only one that didn't seem to do anything was Toujou-san, whom she actually kind of wanted to know more about.

Toujou-san was always really friendly to others and no one seemed to dislike her at all. Everyone was on good terms with her and she seemed quite popular amongst them because of her unusual skill: tarot card reading. She told many of their fortunes and the most common one was their love fortune. (However, it didn't help that some of them had actually asked about their chances with her.) Despite all this, she was always alone during breaks and Eri was starting to think that maybe it was because she wanted it that way. Somehow, she seemed to be distancing herself from the others, much like Eri was trying to do. Only, in Toujou-san's case, she could see the loneliness in her eyes behind those guarded walls. A part of Eri wanted to be the one to build a door in those walls to get to the other side, but in order to do that, she had to get past her own walls first.

_It's not worth the risk,_ she constantly reminded herself.

* * *

Ayase-kun was interesting. He was awkward, pushed people away, but most of all, extremely dense. It was evident that almost the whole school was infatuated with him and many had tried to befriend him. However, he didn't seem to notice this and always distanced himself as best he could. He always seemed deep in thought, as though he was considering his next move for some mission. He was cautious and seemed to always have his guard up. At times, it would seem as though he wanted to befriend others, but there was always something stopping him.

_I wonder what made him grow to keep away from everyone else too._

The only time she had seen him interact amicably with someone else with ease was during their first meeting at the shrine. From the way he watched over his sister and went according to her wishes, Nozomi could tell he deeply cared for her. It was surprising to see that him so stoic in school when he wore such a soft expression at the shrine.

_If he showed that to everyone else, I'm sure they'd never forget him. It'd be so easy to make friends like that. _

Maybe he just didn't know how to approach others. But others have approached him. Maybe he just couldn't interact with others properly. As Nozomi wondered more, she found herself having an urge to find out more about him. Not through all the hearsay that's spreading around the school about him, but from Ayase-kun himself.

She drew a tarot card from her deck.

_Maybe it's okay to take my chances after all, _she thought as she put The Fool card back.

* * *

"Come on, it's a Friday! Don't you want to go out, Ayase-kun?"

"No. My sister is waiting for me."

"Aww, come on, it'll only be for a while!"

"No, thank you."

Eri sighed as she refused request after request from her classmates. Why didn't they just go out together? Besides, her sister had already asked her out last night so she couldn't keep her waiting. She gathered her stuff and left the classroom, intending to head home.

* * *

Nozomi imagined herself running after Ayase-kun. She imagined herself catching up to him, introducing herself properly. She imagined having a friendly chat with him and hopefully finding out a little more about him.

At least she was right for the first one.

After abruptly shouting out for him to wait, Nozomi stood at the top of the staircase, awkwardly staring down at him at the bottom. He was evidently surprised and she could feel the waves of awkwardness flowing from him. She could also see a small sparkle in his eyes and tried to convince herself that it was because she had approached him. That gave her the confidence she needed and she righted herself.

"I'm Toujou Nozomi, your classmate. Nice to meet you."

"Ah, I'm Ayase Eri...ot. You probably know me," Eri inwardly cursed herself, hoping Toujou-san wouldn't notice her slight mistake.

Thankfully, she didn't.

"Wow, someone's cocky," Nozomi surprised herself by saying that.

She wasn't usually so comfortable with people and to tease someone right off the bat, even though teasing was part of her nature, was a whole new level. It just felt so natural somehow. However, seeing Ayase-kun's blush made her decide to continue with it.

They exchanged pleasant smiles (which both noted reached the others' eyes) and Eri broke their comfortable but slightly awkward silence.

"Well, I really have to go now. I'll see you on Monday, Toujou-san."

"See you, Ayase-kun."

Eri couldn't stop the slight skip in her steps the whole trip back.

_Maybe it's okay to let my guard down a little. Just for her._

* * *

**A/N**

**"The Fool" symbolises an important new beginning, according to Google yep.**

**Time to answer the reviews! Big thank you to all that have posted them, it really means a lot to me ^^**

**hikarigranger: Yay, I'm glad someone else agrees with me! I have a super load of headcanons and I'll probably be using quite a few in this story ^^ Also, I imagined it as her cutting her hair. Although I was kinda hesitant about it since I really love her long hair... ): Initially I was gonna make her keep it and have people question it, and she'll be all like "Oh I watched some Samurai movies and they all had long hair in a ponytail" etc, but I figured she may be revealed too easily with her long hair :P Plus, I don't know if schools would allow it?**

**NicoMaki & Yey NozoEri: Yup! She's dressing as a boy out most of the time just in case ^^**

**Everyone else: Thank you so much for your kind and encouraging words! (This wasn't supposed to sound so formal lel)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note**

**I take back my words. Irregular updates will be the way I go. Let's hope it's a good irregular then :P**

* * *

Eri lay back down on her bed after finishing her new book. Her weekend was uneventful so far. Aside from going out with Arisa on Friday night to shop more, she didn't leave her house at all. It just felt like she could pretend to be a normal girl in her house. There was no need to constantly worry about whether her voice was too high or having to bind her chest, which she still hadn't gotten used to. It was a good thing her uniform was tailored to make it difficult to see her chest and most of her other clothing were looser. When she thought about all the trouble she had to go through, she wondered if it really was worth it. Then she would remind herself of her mother's elated expression when she found out that Eri could save the school.

_I wonder when I can stop pretending though. When I graduate, maybe?_

It seemed like an awfully long time to go. What would everyone that knew her think of her then? She didn't particularly mind if the other girls thought badly of her, as long as it didn't affect her future in Japan, since they seemed would be staying for the next couple of years, 'til Arisa graduated, at the least. But what about her newest friend, whom she had a feeling may become quite important in her life from now on? Would Toujou-san understand? She sighed. This was exasperating and she figured it was better to just not think about it now.

Thinking of Toujou-san made her recall that Friday afternoon. Seeing her introduce herself so confidently and comfortably made Eri feel the same way, too. At that moment, she forgot about her current predicament, and it felt as though befriending Toujou-san was something she should have done all along. Good thing she recovered and corrected her name. Had she stayed any longer then, she may have given away her secret. Something about Toujou-san just made her feel so comfortable. It was probably the same for Toujou-san, too. Eri didn't miss the slight surprise on her face when she teased her. Usually, she would feel uncomfortable if someone that had just introduced themselves to her had teased her right off the bat. She did feel uncomfortable at that moment, but it was... a good uncomfortable. Eri decided not to ponder over it too much and just made a mental note to be a little more careful. It was great that she had made (or was making?) a new friend though.

"Thinking about your new friend?" Eri jolted out from her thoughts and was met with Arisa's teasing face.

"Ohh? Our cold, awkward and stoic Erichika actually made a friend in one week?" The surprise in her mother's tease was not lost on her and Eri didn't know whether she should be more upset by that fact or over the both of them teasing her again.

"I'm not that unsociable! I had friends back in Russia... It's just that it's harder to make them in this situation and in a new environment..." Eri tried to defend herself, even though she knew they were right.

"Friends that you made after two weeks of school, and they had to approach you multiple times before you even started getting closer to them! I would have thought that it would be easier to make friends here though, since you're the thorn amongst the roses and all," Arisa countered.

"I don't think being a thorn is a great thing... Besides, it's hard because I don't know if they would mind me basically lying to everyone," Eri replied melancholically.

"If they're real friends, they'll understand and be with you for who you really are. Eriot and Eri are the same person anyway; the only difference between them would be how they are dressed," their mother soothed her worries.

"I'm sure your new friend would understand it in future! What's her name?"

"Toujou Nozomi. She sits behind me in class."

"Nozomi-san, huh? Is she pretty? What's she like?"

"Very. She's the miko we met at the shrine last weekend. She's kind of quiet but still friendly to others. Everyone likes and looks up to her. I haven't heard her say anything bad about anyone yet and no one seems to have shown any dislike towards her. She seems really smart too. All the teachers love her," Eri rambled on.

"So many good things to say and you've only spoken ten words to her. Someone's getting it bad, huh?" Arisa teased once more.

"Harasho! Could our little Erichika possibly be having a small crush? I guess she isn't an ice block after all!"

"M-mom! Arisa! That's not how it is! Besides, you both make me sound like I can't interact with anyone at all..." Eri sulked while the other two simply laughed. "Anyway, what are the two of you here for?"

"Oh yes! Could you go to the store to pick up some vegetables? Aki-san forgot to get some and she needs it for tonight's dinner. I'm going to have a conference call soon and Arisa still has a lot of homework left to do." Her mother directed that last comment to Arisa, who cringed slightly and gave a sheepish look.

Aki-san was their house chef and it was really unlike her to have forgotten something.

_She must have been busy picking out the beef. She did mention yesterday that there was going to be a prime selection today._

Eri agreed and went to get changed. She then remembered about having to bind her chest again. She sighed.

_Can't go back on my word though... Mou, this is such a hassle._

Deciding on just wearing a sports bra, a loose grey hoodie and some denim shorts, she headed towards the general direction of the supermarket. As she walked down the streets, her thoughts drifted back to Toujou-san.

_Exactly a week ago, Arisa and I met her at the shrine. I wonder if that's her permanent job. Does she need help financially, and that's why she has a job? Or is she just helping out on some days whenever she's free? When does she go to the shrine, then? Maybe she's there now?_

As Eri let her thoughts flood with Toujou-san, she didn't notice that she had completely forgotten to turn at the junction, carried on turning at different junctions and was now completely lost. The sounds of a Pachinko Palace as someone exited the place snapped her out of her thoughts and she looked around bewildered. She had no idea where she was.

_In the first place, I'm not even that great with directions... I should have just made Arisa go instead and help her with her work later._

Eri decided to just walk back to where she came from, figuring that she would find something familiar that way.

How horribly wrong she was.

Due to her being so consumed by her thoughts just now, she had no idea if she had just walked straight all the way or turned at some junctions. As she came to the first fork in the path, she had no idea which way to go. She reached into her pocket for her phone to check Google Maps, only to find that she had forgotten to bring it along.

_Just great. Well, I suppose if I just keep taking the path on the right, it'll lead me somewhere... Maybe I could find a public telephone somewhere._

As she continued walking on, she made sure to take notice of her surroundings, just in case. Maybe she could even find a nice shop or cafe. Perhaps a chocolate shop? The thought of her favourite food lightened her mood. Maybe if she saw this as an adventure, it would be better. She could tell Arisa and her mother that she went to explore the streets and save herself from the embarrassment of admitting that she had gotten lost. She continued taking the path on the right at every junction with a slight spring in her steps and soon came to the familiar long staircase that led to the shrine. Her thoughts immediately shifted from chocolate to Toujou-san.

_I wonder if she's there now..._

Eri contemplated climbing up. She'd get delayed even further and the massive amount of steps was still slightly daunting. However, her curiosity as to whether Toujou-san was there grew stronger and she found herself conquering the steps once more. Slightly winded, she looked around, hoping to catch sight of the miko.

"Oh, Ayase-kun? What brings you here?"

Eri turned and was met with the pleasant sight of Nozomi in her miko outfit once again. She gave a small smile in greeting.

"Nothing, I just happened to be passing by," Eri lied smoothly, internally doing a fist pump for having said that convincingly.

"I see. I was just about to end my shift. Care to keep me company for a while, then?" Nozomi sat down on the steps and patted the space beside her.

Eri blushed slightly and took her seat on the steps, slightly further than what Nozomi hoped. An awkward silence fell on them as they stared ahead at the skyline.

"Err... So, do you work here, Toujou-san?" Eri decided to initiate conversation.

"Yup, it's my part-time job. The pay isn't great but I do enjoy it. It makes me feel like my spiritual power is enhanced and all."

"Why do you need to work, though? Do you need help financially?" Eri asked out of concern, only to realise that she may have offended her as some people didn't like to be seen that way. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to be so forward. You don't have to answer it if you don't want to."

"No, it's fine. I like that about you anyway. I live alone. Even though my parents send me money every month, I feel like I shouldn't keep relying on them and should at least settle my own bills for small things like food."

Eri blushed at the first comment and being in her flustered state, the next question just slipped out without her thinking that it may have been insensitive.

"Why do your parents live separately from you?"

And she just apologised for being too direct. She slapped her hands to her mouth and gave Nozomi an apologetic look.

"We'll save that for next time," Nozomi simply gave a wistful yet determined smile with her reply.

Thinking that she may have just killed her budding friendship, Eri decided to play it safe and not talk anymore.

_Maybe I do need to brush up on my social skills..._

Nozomi sensed the change in the blonde's attitude and decided to bring the mood back up.

"Let's play 20 Questions! You can start, Ayase-kun."

Eri simply stared at her for a while, trying to figure out what game she was talking about. After a few seconds, Nozomi got the hint.

"No way, you don't know how to play it? Guess you really are socially awkward, huh?" she teased.

"That's rich, coming from you..." Eri mumbled, hoping the miko wouldn't catch what she said.

She did, though. Nozomi looked over in surprise that Eri had responded to her tease and laughed. Eri felt heartened that she didn't take any offence in her comeback and chuckled along. Nozomi then explained how to play the game. It was simply just asking each other questions and both of them would share their answers to it. Since Eri was starting, she decided to go with the typical questions first.

"Favourite colour?"

"Red, I suppose. It's just such a passionate colour. There's something about it that makes me feel all fired up too."

"Is that why your skirt is red?"

"Nah, that's just the normal uniform here. What's yours?"

"Blue, I guess. Or maybe green. Purple is quite nice too. They all have this calming feel about them. Pink is cute too."

"Wow, that's a lot of colours. Is that why your shoes are blue and pink then?"

Hearing that question, Eri wondered if it seemed too girly to wear pink. Then again, some guys do wear that colour, so she decided to just go along with that and hope that Toujou-san didn't think much of it.

"Yeah. They match really well. Your turn now."

They continued playing the game, asking each other simple questions like their hobbies, favourite song and all. Eri found out that Nozomi started with her tarot cards in the beginning of middle school and she was really fascinated with the supernatural. She woke up early often, liked playing tennis and hardly went shopping. ("If there's no need for that item then there's no point in buying it, right?") Nozomi found out that Eri loved sleeping and usually woke up later into the mornings ("Well, that's unexpected, Mr. Diligent."), liked any sport in general and would buy items that were on offer even if she didn't need it. ("You never know when you'll need it! And when you do, you'll be glad that you got it at such a good price." "I don't think I'll ever find myself really needing so many key chains, Ayase-kun.") They found themselves slowly opening up to the other and playful comments—mainly from Nozomi—were appearing more often.

"Hmm... Favourite and most disliked food?"

"Chocolate. Definitely chocolate. That rich, sweet and creamy taste is simply amazing. It goes well with anything! Everything tastes better with chocolate. It's even used as a spice at times. Chocolate is..." Eri trailed off as she slowly noticed that she was rambling.

She turned to her right and saw Toujou-san stifling her laughter and wearing a very amused expression on her face. Eri blushed deeply.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to ramble on."

"No, it's really fine. It was cute," Nozomi chuckled, a genuine smile on her face. Eri noted for the 7623852th time that she looked really beautiful when she smiled for real. "I love chocolate too. But I must say: Yakiniku beats everything. The slightly smoky taste, juicy meat and the whole idea of making your own food is so fun. It makes the food taste even better."

"Ah, speaking of which, I was supposed to buy some meat! I think our chef is making that tonight."

Nozomi's eyes widened at two facts. One, that Ayase-kun had a chef and two, Yakiniku.

"Oh man... I'd love to have some. Anyway, were you on your way to the store?"

"Yup, I was on my way there when I got... umm passed by," Eri tried to cover up.

"Oh, really, now? The store is kind of in the opposite direction from here, you know," Nozomi teased with a devious grin on her face as she realised what had actually happened.

"I... came from that direction? I-it's not like I got lost, I'm not that clumsy," Eri stammered, trying to preserve her image.

"Oh, I see, I see. Well if you need directions to the supermarket, I could always give them to you," Nozomi's grin widened.

Eri pondered over her suggestion. She did need some help finding her way, but admitting that she had gotten lost was just embarrassing. Sensing the boy's thoughts, Nozomi decided to just help him out.

"I kind of need to go there too, anyway. Would you come with me then? Just let me get changed," she bluffed.

Eri gave her a grateful look for not making her say it out and agreed.

She waited a while on the steps while Nozomi went to get changed. When she came back, they resumed their game of 20 Questions and walked towards the supermarket. Eri made sure to take note of how to get there too, just in case she wanted to go to the store in future (or go to the shrine).

"So you just took the paths on the right and ended up at the shrine?"

"Yeah, pretty magical, huh?"

"Well, looks like you definitely took the right path." Nozomi smiled a little at her pun while Eri just laughed. "Anyway, we're here, so I'm going to go off now. Happy shopping and don't buy everything on offer!"

Eri shot her a confused look. "Didn't you need to go to the store too?" She felt slightly disappointed that their time together was coming to an end.

"I told a white lie just so you would go along with me. Wouldn't want you getting lost again, right?" Nozomi teased.

"I-I wouldn't! And I didn't get lost the first time!" Eri blushed and hopelessly tried to cover up.

"Whatever you say~ Look; the sun is setting."

Both of them looked towards the sky and watched the evening sun set. It was exceptionally clear this evening which made the scene even more beautiful. Once the sun couldn't be seen anymore, they turned back to each other.

"I'll be going now. You should get your stuff quickly too. I'm sure your family doesn't want to wait any longer."

"Are you sure you'll be okay, going back on your own?" Eri asked worriedly.

"I'll be fine, my house is pretty near the store. Besides, I don't think you would be able to find your way back to the store this way," Nozomi teased once more.

"H-hey! I'm not that bad with directions..."

Nozomi gave a hearty laugh which Eri slowly joined in on. When it died down, they said their goodbyes and Eri watched Nozomi's retreating figure till she turned out of sight.

_I'm glad I let her in._

* * *

**A/N**

**Hope you guys enjoyed the NozoEri interaction! This turned out longer than I had expected o.o Thanks for sticking with this as always!**

**hikarigranger: Oh gosh, maybe I'll add that in future if it fits heh ^^ (Or maybe Nozomi could tease her about it, that'd be gold) Thanks for the comments!**

**LiulfrKeahi: Can I start off by saying that I really love your Tumblr. Not a crazy stalker but it's really nice ^^ Also, is this about why there's a need for sample male students first and all? My Beta pointed it out too and it only occurred to me then that's it's kinda weird (;A;) It's kinda normal in my country to have a small batch of students of the other gender first though, I think. So I figured since one is better than none, Principal Minami allowed her to be that one male student and all. It's still pretty iffy though T.T Nonetheless, thanks for pointing it out!**


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